The Man behind the Hero
by lucraucar
Summary: Link's life has changed drastically after princess Zelda sent him back in time. Will he be able to recover his life and the people he has lost? Or will he make a whole new life? Much more characters than just Romani and Link!Situated also in Majora's Mask
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

What is a hero? Is it just a person who decided to help someone else? Or maybe it is a man with such amount of power, that he can defeat all his enemies and conquer evil. Which raises another question: What makes someone worthy of being called a hero? Must he or she be brave and powerful? Of course, that someone must also be kind and caring for the welfare of his or her community. Moreover, he or she must do something impressive, something that no other person would dare to do, and not fail while trying. All of these things seem to be too much for someone to fulfill, but history showed us many years ago that it is not an impossible task. That is because a long time ago, a young Hylian named Link, faced the overwhelming claws of darkness and vanquished it from our sacred realm, Hyrule. Now, everybody knows the legend of who is probably the most important character in Hyrule's history, but they only know about the hero, about the warrior who defeated the evil king Ganondorf, they don't know about the dungeons he had to explore and conquer, about the nightmarish beasts he had to face, but more importantly, about all the pain he had to withstand. After all, Link was just a man, he was not a heartless war machine, and during his travels he suffered many wounds, both physical and emotional, the last ones being the one that hurt the most. He lost many people, many friends and companions, yet there were three people who occupied a special place in his heart, and who he would never forget.

It is because of all of this, that I, Link the… (Ugh I really don't know how many of my ancestors who have the same name as me there are), one of the descendants of the Hero of Time, will be the first person ever to write the true story about the Hero of Time. With the help of my ancestor's stories, and the original diary that the Hero of Time himself wrote, I'll show everyone the truth about his life. This way his legend will be preserved, first in Ordon Village and then in the whole wor...

"LINK! Get out now! You promised me you'd help me wash Epona this time!" yelled Ilia.

"Damn, I guess I'll just have to finish this later." Link sighed as he closed the rough leather cover of a big book that was almost blank, except for the first pages, and also had a carved title which read: _**Link: The Man behind the Legend**_

"Well to be honest, it's not like she caught me by surprise. In fact, I was kinda hoping she would remember. It's just, when did she become so damn pretty? I can't get her out of my head…" thought Link as he closed the door to his home.


	2. Chapter 1 The last night of an old life

**Chapter 1 – The last night of an old life**

"Finally! Cleaning that horse took more time than I expected. Well, at least I'm free now, and I can start with this story…" said Link to himself as he sat on a wooden desk with the big leather book in front of him. He opened it and started to write…

Princess Zelda stood in her bedroom while gazing through her window, at the same time admiring the now free Hyrule, and wondering if what she would have to do the next day was the right decision: "Goddesses please lend me your wisdom, for right now I'm unsure about my decisions. Is it correct to send him back in time now that he seems to be so happy with the ranch girl? Does he really need to relive his childhood? What if he becomes unhappy when he realizes he is all alone in the world again? I know it was what you told me in my dreams but… once I do this, he will have to begin his whole life again" After such thoughts, a sole tear fell upon her ivory cheek, and then she started humming the Song of Time, which she knew she'd have to play once more very soon; even if she wasn't totally convinced.

Meanwhile, a few miles away from there, in a small ranch which had become a home to the Hero of Time, Link walked into the barn, where he knew he would find that beautiful, red-haired girl who had become the love of his life. However, he was not happy even with her around, for he knew that this life he had now, would soon disappear. The princess had already warned him that she would only give him one more day to finish any business he got left before she sent him back in time. That was what kept his soul troubled, he had to tell Malon about this, he had to say goodbye to the most important person to him…

"Malon?" said Link with sadness in his voice

"Yes Fairy Boy? What's wrong honey? You sound worried…" replied Malon, who was sat on a small wooden stool, and who immediately felt that something was wrong with her boyfriend

"Arghh, this is going to be harder than I thought" mused Link, while images of last night's party came to his mind. The party had been held in Lon Lon ranch and everyone had come. The Hylians, the Kokiris, the Gorons, the Zoras, and even the Gerudos. Of course, it had not been a random party; it had been the celebration of Ganondorf's defeat, an event that had to be celebrated and remembered by everyone. For Link, that party meant nothing compared to what happened after the guests had fallen asleep. That night he and the ranch girl had finally confessed their love to each other after watching the first sunrise of the new Hyrule. However, his happiness had not lasted too much, for he knew what the princess would do. This left him only a few more hours to spend with Malon.

"I have to tell you something very important" he somberly said while he sat next to her on the ground.

"What is it?" she asked now with real concern in her mind

"What I'm about to tell you is something that you might never understand, specially because you won't actually have the time to do it…" he said almost in a whisper

"Come on Link, whatever it is I will understand" she assured him

"Well, you already know everything I had to do to defeat Ganondorf. The fights with Gohma, the Dodongo King, Jabu Jabu, Volvagia, Morpha, Bongo Bongo, Twinrova…"

"And Ganondorf's Phantom. Yes, I remember all of that but what does it matter now?" asked Malon

"It's just… that's not all that I did…" he said

"What do you mean?" she asked

"In order to do everything I told you about, I had to… "wait" seven years while I was trapped in a crystal, so that I'd be strong enough to face all of those monsters" he said

"Then… that's the reason why I never saw you again after you left the ranch when we were ten" she said

"That's right, I was able to defeat the first three monsters when I was a child, but the others were far too strong for a child to defeat them. Although I must admit that I wouldn't have minded to wait for those seven years to pass the normal way, just to spend more time with you…" he said while he gave a warm smile to Malon, and then he approached a little closer to her face.

"I wouldn't have minded spending that much time with you too Fairy Boy" she said while she approached to him too, and then she gave him a long, sweet kiss.

They both stayed staring at each other's eyes for a while until Link remembered what he had to do.

"Anyway, that was not the only time I had to mess with time to defeat Ganondorf. I found out after a while that sometimes I had to go back in time if I wanted to obtain a certain weapon or to solve a puzzle in a dungeon" he explained.

"So… that means you were able to go back in time!" she said very surprised.

"Yep, I used the Master Sword to return to my childhood. When I left it in its pedestal I'd return seven years in time, and when I lifted it I'd return to the present" he said

"Go on" she insisted with a curious look on her face.

"The thing is… I don't have the Master Sword anymore; it is resting in its pedestal since it is what keeps Ganondorf trapped in the sacred realm, where he cannot hurt anyone" he said

"That's it? I mean, what's the problem? It's not like you need to go back in time now. Besides, you don't have to face an evil king anymore" she said with a smile on her face

"That's not exactly true" he said

"What do you mean? Is there another threat to Hyrule?" she asked, a little worried

"No. But I do have to go back in time; it's what the goddesses ordered" he said with a very serious look on his face

"But you can't, you don't have your sword anymore" she replied confidently

"Yes, but Zelda can; she can use my ocarina to send me back in time to my childhood. In fact, she had to do it today but she decided to give me one more day to finish any business I had in the present" he said

"Oh, so you were with the princess…" she murmured. Malon knew Link loved her, but she really didn't know why he had chosen her, a common, ignorant farm girl, instead of the powerful, classy, and beautiful princess.

"Malon you know that you're the only one that I love. And you're missing the point here" he said, a little annoyed

"Sorry, go on" she said

"Look, what I want to say is that I HAVE TO GO BACK IN TIME, and there's NO WAY TO STOP THAT" he said with a desperate look on his face

"Well, it can't be that bad. I mean, we'll be kids again, but we will still love each other. Maybe we won't be able to be a couple in public but I can live with that…" she said comforting more herself than the Hero of Time

"Not really. When I go back in time only Zelda and I will remember all that happened. All the suffering, the battles, the destruction, they will all vanish from everyone's mind, from your mind" he said with the saddest look on his face.

"That means… I won't remember you! I won't know you? I WON'T BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND?" she asked, almost screaming

"That's…r-i-g-h-t." he murmured

With those last words Malon became a river of tears, a river that could not be contained, not even by the sweet embrace of the hero of time. That way they spend a while, with Link comforting Malon by hugging and kissing her softly in the forehead, and Malon crying on his shoulder. Then, after realizing this could be the last time she and Link were this close, Malon stood up and said these words:

"Link…"

"Yes?" he said

"I don't know what we'll happen in the future, I don't know if we'll ever love each other the way we do now… but I don't want to waste the last few hours we have wondering about a future that doesn't matter anymore."

"So what do you want to do?" he said

"Come with me…let's spend this last night together"

"Malon…" he said with a sweet voice, knowing exactly what she meant

"And one more thing… promise me, promise me that you will look for me and make me fall in love with you again…"

"I will, I swear I will Malon" said Link very seriously, but just after saying those words, a knot formed in his throat.

Needless to say is what happened after they left the barn an entered the lonely storage tower at the far north corner of Lon Lon ranch, but it can be said with no doubts, that the last night he spent at Lon Lon ranch during his first adventure was the one of the best nights of his life.


	3. C2 Goodbye Malon, hello Song of Time

**Chapter 2 – ****Goodbye Malon, hello Song of Time**

The next morning Malon woke up from the fluffy haystack she had slept on when she heard some weird noises coming from the field. At first she started to panic because she taught that noises were Talon carrying some old bottles that were to be stored in the tower. Immediately, she started to put on her purple skirt and her beige blouse. Then, she started combing her hair with her fingers and thinking about a good excuse to tell to her father, when she realized that Link… wasn't there! But just before she panicked even more, the door was opened.

In front of her was the young hero, who was particularly happy this morning and had a big, goofy smile on his face.

"I prepared breakfast!" he happily said

"Thanks Nayru… I thought you were my father!" she said very relieved

"Don't worry about him, he's still asleep in the cucco shack, and by the look on his face, I can assure you he won't be getting up anytime soon" he said confidently

"Okay, so what did you bring?" she said as her stomach made a strong noise

"Some eggs, muffins, milk and juice" he said

"Great, it all sounds delicious" she said very enthusiastically

The two lovers started to eat their breakfast really slowly as they talked and kissed each other, for they both knew this would probably be the last meal they'd share as a couple.

Meanwhile, in the gardens of Hyrule Castle, princess Zelda wandered around the multicolor flowers that grew all along the gardens, which, just like the castle, had revived just after Ganondorf was defeated, she kept wondering about the decision she had taken, there were only a few hours left before the ceremony, and she knew there was no place for mistakes, once she had done it, there would be no going back. Moreover, there was this feeling she had that kept bugging her mind, she knew she had to trust the goddesses, but she was sure that something terrible would happen to the Hero of Time because of this decision. She then dismissed those final thoughts from her mind, and she headed towards the temple of time to prepare for the event.

Back in Lon Lon Ranch, Link was saying goodbye to Malon for the 30th time, but she didn't seem ready to let the fairy boy go just yet.

"One more day please" she kept saying to Link

"You know I want to, but I can't. I must go now, Zelda is waiting for me" he said, once more

"Then go, go with her! Go to YOUR princess and be happy with her. After all, she'd be the only one who will know you once you go back in time…" she said almost crying

"Malon! What do I need to do to make you believe me? I don't love Zelda, and she doesn't love me! We're just friends, nothing more. And you know that the first thing I'll do when I go back in time is look for you" he said

"And make me fall for you" she said, completing the sentence

"Yes, but now I have to go, and I don't want to leave like this, I don't want you to be angry with me!" he said almost begging

"I'm not angry, I can't be angry with you" she said, leaning a little closer to him

"Me neither" he said giving her a long passionate kiss

"I love you" they both said at the time

They stayed there, holding each other in their arms, until the hero had to break that perfect moment.

"I'm going now" he said with great pain

"Okay… but just let me do this one more time" she said

After that, they both gave each other their longest and last kiss. Then Link went out of the storage tower, and mounted Epona. He started galloping faster and faster while Malon saw him fade away in the horizon. When she couldn't see him at all, she couldn't stand it anymore and started crying her heart out.

Just as the drawbridge came into his sight, Link realized something that struck him like a pot of cold water.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS NAVI?" he shouted

He couldn't believe he had forgotten about her. It's not like he hadn't been busy, but she was his best friend. In fact, once he started to think about it, he realized he hadn't seen her after the battle with Ganondorf. He then started to get very worried, had something bad happened to her in the battle? "NO!" It couldn't be that, she must be in the temple of time, waiting for him. "Yes, that's it" he taught comforting himself as he rode even faster towards the temple of time.

Once he entered Market Town, he encountered the curious faces and loud chattering of the townsfolk.

"Look, there he is, the one who defeated Ganondorf" one man said

"Wow he is sooooo handsome" a group of young girls said

"I bet he is going to see the princess. How adorable" A woman said

"If only we had had someone like that in Termina seven years ago…" A cloaked woman said

This last comment caught Link's attention for a moment, and even more when she caught a glimpse of the woman's face which made him remember the cucco lady of Kakariko Village. In fact he could have sweared she was her twin.

Nevertheless, he kept going towards the temple of time, he left Epona just outside the entrance and quickly went through the doors and into the temple.

Just as he entered the temple, he immediately saw the princess standing near the altar where the three relics rested, the Kokiri's emerald, the Goron's Ruby and the Zora's Sapphire. She heard Link's footsteps and she turned to see the hero. Zelda and Link may have said over and over again that there was nothing romantic going on between them, but every time they saw each other, they both felt butterflies in their stomachs. After all, he was a handsome knight in shining armor for her, and she was a beautiful, delicate and nice princess to him. They both blushed a little after seeing each other on the eyes, but then Zelda broke the ice.

"So, you finished everything you needed to?" she asked

"Well, it's not like I could finish it, because I wanted it to last forever…" he sadly said

"I'm sorry" she said, hating her for making him suffer so much

"I know it's not your fault, it's just what happens when you're chosen to save the world right?" he said trying to lighten the mood

"Y-e-a-h" she said, not sure what to say

"Okay, so… let's do this" he said

"Sure, just lend me the ocarina" she said

"Oh! I almost forgot… Zelda do you where is Navi?" he said

"Well, she was with me yesterday, but I had to send her back in time. Apparently the goddesses had some work for her too" she said

"Do you know where they sent her?" he said

"Not really…"

"Thanks" he murmured as he took out the ocarina and placed it in Zelda's hand.

"You're ready?" she asked

"Yeah. Goodbye Zelda" he said

"Goodbye Link, remember to visit me in the castle…" she said

But just before Link could answer, a white ray of light started to surround everything around him, while Zelda played the Song of Time. He tried to remain conscious but he found it was impossible to stand the intense pressure around him, and so he passed out while everything vanished in front of him.


	4. Chapter 3 – Disturbing Thoughts

**Chapter 3 – Disturbing Thoughts**

A musky scent, the far away sound of the water falling down and clashing into the river, and the peaceful yet somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere of the Kokiri Forest were the things that announced Link that he was no longer in the post-Ganondorf Hyrule. Link had returned exactly to the place where it all began, he was sat on the small stump in his "tree bedroom", he had just realized that the intense pressure he felt in his chest was gone, and so he started stretching his once again childish muscles. He spent the next few hours wondering what he should do now that he was back to his new life.

"So… I'm home again" he said to himself

"Well, it seems like I'm alone again, I don't see Navi anywhere." He thought

"I guess the best thing I can do right now is relax for a while until I have some freakin' idea of what to do" he sighed

He then started to remember all the things that have happened the last few days, the battle with Ganondorf, the big party at Lon Lon Ranch, THE NIGHT with Malon, and the quick conversation he had with princess Zelda. After that, he started to get a little depressed for he knew all of those memories didn't matter anymore, Malon was no longer his girlfriend, in fact she didn't even knew him. Navi was nowhere to be found, and nobody would praise him now for defeating Ganondorf (not that he really wanted to be famous, but the fact that people always wanted to talk to him wherever he went, made him feel less lonely). That left only two options for him: He could now go to Lon Lon ranch and try to flirt with a ten year old girl, or go to Hyrule Castle and ask Zelda if she knows something new about Navi's whereabouts. Or… there was one last option, one that didn't really compelled to Link, but that seemed to be the most reasonable of them all.

"What if I just live my childhood like all the Hylian kids?" he thought

"Would it be so bad if I spent my days playing with my slingshot instead of killing infernal monsters?"

"Ohhh, but you know you do not want that kind of life" A deep, powerful and malevolent voice said

"Who's there?" Link shouted as he stood up from the stump and unsheathed the Kokiri sword

"Relax Link, I'm just your umm, "conscience" if you may" the voice said

"Yeah right, if you were my conscience we wouldn't be having a conversation, you'd just be another idea in my head" he cockily said

"Well, that would be right if I were a product of your imagination, but I'm much more than that…" the voice replied

"What do you mean?" he asked

"Do you think killing Ganondorf wouldn't bring any rewards to you?" the voice asked

Link kept silent, wondering what the voice meant

"You already know that Ganondorf had the Triforce of Power under his control… but what you don't know is that when you killed him a small part of that power was transferred to you. In other words, I'm the Triforce of Power talking to you" the voice said

"What do you want from me?" he asked

"Want? I don't want anything from you; I'm just here to reveal you your own desires, those that you keep hidden in the bottom of your heart, and to help you fulfill them" the voice said

He kept listening without saying a word

"I know you Hero of Time, I know the lust you feel for the ranch girl, and the princess… I know the anger you feel for being separated from your loved ones, the loneliness that your friend's departure has caused on you, and above all else, the desperation you feel for being forced to live a common life" the voice said

"You don't know what you're talking about" he said, after blushing a little, due to the mentioning of the words lust and princess in the same sentence

"You can't fool me Link, I live in your mind, and I know all your thoughts. But you don't have to worry; I'm here to guide you. Guide you to fulfill all those wishes you have, but you need to let me enter to your heart, let POWER fall upon you!" the voice shouted

"NEVER!" Link screamed while he threw a slash into the air

The voice was gone

Link stood still for a few minutes until he realized the voice was totally gone. He was now sure that the common life he thought he'd have was now just a dream. Yet, the most disturbing thing about what the voice said was that it all was true. He wasn't ready to settle for a normal childhood, he wanted to be with Malon, to find Navi, and to be a hero.

Therefore he decided he would go to Lon Lon Ranch to meet Malon once again, and then he would go see the princess and ask her if she knew something about Navi, or about some other threatened realm that he could save.

The next morning he got up early to start his journey. During the night he had been stocking up on deku nuts and seed for his slingshot, he had looked for rupees in the Lost Woods and had said goodbye to all the Kokiris and the Deku Tree. He put on his leather boots, his green tunic, his sheath and shield, and his green hat. Then, after giving one last look to his tree house, he started to walk out of Kokiri forest. Right before he had finished crossing the wooden bridge he saw a green figure sat on a stump below the bridge, he saw what seemed like a girl playing her ocarina, but just as he blinked to make sure his eyes weren't fooling him, the girl disappeared.

"Saria" he said in a whisper

"All right, Malon (and Zelda) here I come…"


	5. Chapter 4 – A long, wet day

**Chapter 4 – A long, wet day**

Link stood outside the entrance to Kokiri Forest. He had been admiring the old, and yet new, Hyrule for quite a while now. The first thing he noticed was that Hyrule field looked much more smaller than it first looked when he left Kokiri Forest after defeating Gohma. Although, it also looked much more lonely and quite now that he didn't have the always busy fairy next to him. He could see Zora's river in the distance, while Death Mountain also entered in his range of vision as an impressive but peaceful sight. He then saw that large, metal fence which stood on a lonely plateau and immediately snapped out of this meditative state he was in, and remembered what he was supposed to do.

He hadn't taken more than two steps when he saw an enormous and majestic owl fly down to the branch of a nearby tree.

"Greetings, young hero" said Kaepora Gaebora while he looked for a part to place his claws where he wouldn't break the branch

"Hey! What are you doing here? I thought you said you wouldn't be giving me anymore advices…" Link asked curiously

"You're right, but at that time I didn't know that being sent back in time would cause you so many problems" the owl said

"But how did you…" he said

"It doesn't matter Link, the only thing that matters is that you heed my words. Link, you are and will always be the Hero of Time. Therefore, your duty towards the goddesses and the people will never end. I know you want to recover your fairy companion, and I know about the relationship you shared with the Lon Lon girl, but you must put aside those desires of yours and start with a new quest" the owl said with a solemn voice

"But I thought the problems were over. I mean, Ganondorf is trapped right?" he asked

"Yes he is, and the sages will make sure that it stays that way for as long as they can. But as I said, you have a duty towards the goddesses, not only to Hyrule. Hence, you must travel to another land which is being menaced by a more impatient and irrational force than Ganondorf. You must go now to Hyrule Cast…" the owl said until he was interrupted by a now angry Link

"WHY? Why do I have to go save another land right now? I haven't even had time to think about what I should do next, and now you're ordering me to go kill another monster like Ganondorf? NO! I want to go to Lon Lon Ranch; I want to see Malon again! I want her to love me again! I want Navi back! And I want the life I had before I was sent back in time!" he shouted

"You cannot have the life you had back then. It's not what the goddesses wanted, and you must accept it." The owl said

"Then at least give me some time. Give me some time to forget about the battles and monsters. Let me live my life for a while" he said

"Fine, I'll let you be. But you'll eventually find out that you cannot run from your destiny" the owl said as it started to flap its wings

"Thank you" Link said

"When you're ready to be who you are go talk to the princess, she'll tell you what to do" the owl said as it started to disappear in the distance.

After that small discussion with Kaepora, Link finally started to travel through Hyrule Field. He didn't want to be surprised by the night while on the wilderness because he wasn't really in the mood to slash some obnoxious stalchildren. However, it seemed like luck wasn't on his side today; just a few hours after his discussion with the owl, a massive storm formed above Hyrule field, and now a heavy downpour soaked Link to the bones. Hence, he had to travel all day long with his boots wet and filled with mud, and his forest green tunic now looked like a big, dark green sack that covered Link's body. The storm had also deteriorated Link's vision to the point where he couldn't even see his own hand. That's why he didn't notice the big, metallic post until he crashed into it. "Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch" the big, wooden sign over Link's head read. He got back up almost instantly only to feel beaten again. He had read the sign and that's why he fell on his back again, while a knot formed in his throat.

"Wow… So this is it" he thought

"I want to see her, but not like this. I'm all wet and dirty" he thought

"But I still need to get some shelter… I know! I'll sleep in the barn, she must be asleep right now so she won't go see the horses for a while" he thought as he walked towards the barn

"But what if she wakes up before I do, and decides to check up the horses?" he thought, very worried

"Where else can I go...? Ohhh, right" he thought, remembering the storage tower where he spent that night…

The Hero then started to walk towards the tower, running as fast as he could to avoid the rain. He opened the door to the storage tower and instantly had a flashback of what happened just a few days ago, which made him feel somewhat depressed. Everything looked the same, the piles of haystack on the floor, the empty bottles of milk, and even some cucco feathers that were spread around the room. He then made himself an almost decent "bed" with the haystacks, and started to think about what he'd have to do the next day

"Ok… so, what do I do know?" he started to think

"I can't just go to Malon and hook up with her… she's only ten years old! But I also have to let her know that I like her or she will think that I just want to be her friend! Crap…"

"Let's think, what did I do the last time? I met her at castle town when she asked me to find Talon. Then I visited her here in Lon Lon Ranch and she taught me Epona's song. And then I saved her from Ingo when I came back to the ranch after waiting seven years…"

"So… I never actually flirted with her! I just had to do some minor "heroic" things and that was it! Great…"

"Except… I can't save her from Ingo this time, 'cause he will never turn evil now. Oh well, one less heroic act, what does it matter?"

"But it will still be weird to act like I don't know her, how will I be able to act so indifferently towards her? I love her! And to have to wait so many years until it is okay for us to be a couple… that just sucks!"

"You could entertain yourself with the princess until that time comes…" the strange voice of a few days ago, said

"She remembers you… and she has a teenager's mind and desires just like you"

"You again? Get out of my head!" Link said

But no one answered

"I guess I'm just tired… I'll better go to sleep" Link said while he arranged the haystack as a pillow

That night the Hero of Time didn't rest very much. Mostly because of the constant thunders that roared from the sky, but also because for some reason, images of Zelda in her pink dress kept appearing on his mind when he tried to think of Malon…

_Hey guys! I know there hasn't been a lot of action in the last chapters, but it was important to show Link's thoughts and problems because they are the cause of what will happen in later chapters. And just so you know, this story won't be only about Link and one of the girls, in fact, Link will be a total player in this fanfic. XP_


	6. Chapter 5 – Two Girls, Two Paths

**Chapter 5 – Two Girls, Two Paths**

"Dad! We better go now or we won't deliver the milk on time!" shouted Malon

"What? Oh right the milk… it can wait for another five minutes, just go back to sleep Mal" said a very drowsy Talon

"DAD!" she shouted

"All right, all right, just let me put on my boots" he said

"Great! We're going to see the castle!" said a very enthusiastic Malon

After that little argument (which like always, was won by Malon) she and Talon prepared the wagon, and filled it with a dozen of boxes that contained the delicious milk their cows produced. Today was going to be a great day for Malon; she was going to see Hyrule Castle once more and there was nothing that made her more excited than that. She loved to see the big, royal building and imagine what kind of life its inhabitants had. Specially because she had always dreamed of becoming a sort of princess herself, with a knight in shining armor by her side. In fact, this was the main reason why she fell for Link the first time. She had seen in him a life of adventures with a handsome and courageous hero that would protect her from any harm. Not knowing that the life of a true hero was not as appealing as the fairytales taught her, it is a life of sacrifice and danger, and it doesn't always have a happy ending.

"Off to the castle we go" shouted Talon while he ordered the horses to start moving the wagon.

Meanwhile, Link woke up to the sound of the singing cuccos and the neighing of horses.

"Oh crap… my neck hurts" Link said while he rubbed his sore neck

"I should have made a better pillow… Oh well, I guess I'll just have to stand it for today. Now, to Malon!" he thought as he opened the tower's door

"Hmm, I don't see anyone in the field, but the cows and horses are already out... They must be having breakfast in the house" he thought as he walked towards the house

"Hello! Is anybody here?" he shouted, but no one answered

"What do you think you're doing? You little pest" said an angry Ingo who had seen Link approach the house

"Arghhh, you scared me! You shouldn't sneak behind people's backs" said Link

"I do whatever I want. I am Ingo, the right hand of this ranch (although I should be the boss and not that lazy Talon), and you are…?" Ingo asked

"My name is Link, and I was looking for the owner of this ranch" he said

"What for?" Ingo asked

"I want a new horse, and I was hoping he could sell me one" Link said

"A horse? HAHAHA But you can't even ride a horse, you're too small" Ingo said while he laughed

"Look, I have the money, so just tell me where I can find the owner"

"Bad luck kid, he and his daughter went to make a delivery at Hyrule Castle, and knowing them, they won't be back for a few days" Ingo said with a grin on his face

"Fuck…, guess I'll just have to Hyrule Castle" thought Link

"Well then, thanks for your help. Goodbye" said Link as he walked to the gate that led to Hyrule Field

"What an obnoxious kid" said Ingo

Link traveled very quickly this time, especially because he was growing a little desperate for not being able to see Malon already. Hence, he arrived at the market in the afternoon. As he entered the busy streets of Castle Town, Link had another déjà vu when he saw all the people chatting, shopping and dancing around the small shops which never seemed to have anything interesting, but that somehow managed to attract all those people. He started looking for a little girl singing near the fountain, but she couldn't find her. However, he did hear that sweet, hypnotic voice coming from the trail that led to Hyrule Castle, so he immediately ran towards there. And there she was, the little girl that left him speechless the first time she saw her, and she looked just as beautiful as the first time he saw her. She was standing near a dirt wall, and she looked like she was worried about something, even if her calm singing voice didn't show that clearly. After admiring her from the distance for a few minutes, Link finally decided to go talk to her. He started feeling very nervous and tried to think about all the things he wanted to tell her, he closed his eyes in an attempt to calm down, but he was surprised by her sweet voice.

"Why are you walking with your eyes closed? Don't you know you could fall?" asked a very intrigued Malon

Link opened his eyes and tried to come up with a good answer. "I was umm… I feel very tired, and I was resting my eyes" he said

"Oh and why are you so sleepy?" she asked

"It's just that I spent all night looking for Lon Lon ranch but I couldn't find it" he said

"Lon Lon ranch? Well then I can help you! I'm Malon, and I live in the ranch with my dad and another man named Ingo. And you are…?" she said

"My name is Link, and I'm a boy from the forest" he said (and the Hero of Time, the guardian of the triforce, your first boyfriend, and so many other things) he thought

"Link? That's a funny name… Oh look! You have a big, green hat! It's kind of funny though" she said

"Why?" he said

"Well, because it makes you look like a grasshopper! I know, I'll call you grasshopper! That sounds better than Link" she said very enthusiastically

"Grasshopper… I like it" Link said while he remembered the first time she gave him a nickname…when he used to have Navi by his side.

"So, what are you doing here grasshopper? Lon Lon ranch is not near here…" she said while she giggled

"I was umm… going to see the princess! Yeah, she is my friend and I was going to visit her" he responded very quickly

"Wow… you know the princess? That's so cool grasshopper! How is she? Is she nice? Is she pretty?" she said

"Well, she IS pretty, and she's very kind" he said while he blushed a little

"I think someone has a crush on the princess! You loooove her don't you grasshopper? And you want her to be your girlfriend!" she said while she laughed at the sight of an increasingly redder Link.

"I don't… she's not my, just stop it!" shouted an angry Link

"Okay grasshopper, I won't bother you… for today. But can you help me with something?" she said

"Sure, what is it?" he said

"I came with my dad to deliver some milk to Hyrule Castle, he left me here and told me to wait for him, but that was almost five hours ago and he hasn't come back…could you look for him when you go to the castle?" she said

"Sure, don't worry about anything, I'll find your dad" he said very confidently

"Thanks grasshopper, I swear that if you do that I won't bother you with your little crush anymore" she said

"Deal. I'll go now to look for your dad" Link said

"Bye grasshopper" she shouted while he walked towards the castle

"What a strange boy… but he is very funny, and he IS kind of cute. I just hope he can find my dad" she thought just before she started to sing again

Link went up the dirt road towards Hyrule Castle. He swiftly passed the somewhat clumsy guards just like the first time, and then, after climbing the entrance gate, he saw Talon sleeping near some wooden crates.

"Just like the first time" he thought as he walked towards Talon

"Sir? Wake up!" he shouted, but Talon didn't even flinch

"I'll just have to do it the hard way" he said as he drew his slingshot and shot a Deku seed against Talon's butt

"For Din! What's going on?" Talon shouted as he woke up

"Hi sir, my name is Link, and your daughter, Malon, sent me to look for you" Link said, very calmly

"Malon?" said a drowsy Talon

"Yep, she's waiting for you on the dirt road, near the entrance to the market"

"Thanks kid… I would give you some milk as a reward but I don't have any right now… I know! If you ever go to Lon Lon ranch, look for me and I will give you a big bottle of milk" said Talon with a smile on his face

"Thanks sir, but there's no need for that. I'm just happy I could help" Link said

"Well that's very kind; you really are a little gentleman. So, I must go now, Malon must be desperate" Talon said as he ran towards the dirt road

"Step 1 complete." said Link with a smile on his face

"Now, I could go to Lon Lon ranch and look for Malon…or I could look for Zelda and ask her if she knows something about Navi's whereabouts… I guess I'll do the second one" he thought as he went towards the gardens

Once again he sneaked past the almost useless guards (who were responsible for the safety of the royal family), and reached the small garden where he had seen Zelda the first time. And there she was, except that this time she wasn't looking through the window, she was smelling the flowers with a very relaxed gesture on her face. He got a little closer to where she was only to experience the same butterfly-esque feeling in his stomach. It seemed like she got prettier every time he saw her, and he was now very nervous and didn't really know what to tell her.

"Umm, princess?" he said, very nervously

"Yes?" she answered as she looked up and discovered that the hero of time had finally come to visit her

"LINK! You're here!" she said as she ran towards him, and caught him in a tight hug.

"Y-e-a-h" he said as he blushed more than he had ever blushed in his life.

"It's so good to see you. I wasn't sure if you were alright after I sent you back in time. I had been worried sick about you" she said as she poked his arm

"So, you were thinking of me?" he said, although he didn't really know why he had spilled that out

"Well yes, I mean, I was worried about you" Zelda said as she blushed a little

An awkward silence invaded the space between them until Link remembered what he wanted to say.

"Hey Zelda…" he said

"Yes" she said

"I wanted to ask you…do you know anything about Navi?" he said

"I'm sorry Link, but I haven't heard anything new about her. I guess she must be doing whatever the goddesses told her to" she said

"Ohhh, thanks anyway" he said, with a very sad look on his face

"So, do you want to know about your new quest?" she said

"What?" he said, very surprised

"Your new quest, Termina. Didn't Kaepora tell you anything?" she said

"Ohhh, he did tell me, but I told him I didn't want to embark on a new journey right now" he said

"I understand… but it could actually help you" she said

"What do you mean?" he said

"Well, I'm not sure but maybe Navi was sent there to investigate about the problems that have affected Termina" she said

"Really?" he said

"I'm not sure… but it could be possible" she said

"Well then…tell me about it! What's the problem that affects Termina?" he said

"It has something to do with some dark power that has awakened in Termina, but I don't know the exact details. I just know what the goddesses tell me." She said

"So, what should I do?" Link said

"You must travel through the Lost Woods, and then you'll get to Termina. I can send some guards with you so that you'll be safe…" she said

"No thanks… I think I can handle anything that tries to attack me" he said, trying to reassure her

"I know… but I don't want anything bad to happen to you" she said

"Don't worry about anything! After all, I'm the Hero of Time" he said, very confidently

"So, will you go to Termina today?" she asked

"Not really, I have something to do at Lon Lon ranch, and then I'll start the journey" he said

"Right… the ranch girl, she was your girlfriend… Is she WITH you now?" she asked

"No, I just re-meet her. Besides, she's too young." he said

"I'm sorry… I didn't want you to lose her" she said, a little embarrassed

"It's not your fault, and don't worry, I'm not angry with you" he said with a big smile on his face

"I know, but if you only knew how much I care about you, how much I want you to be happy. How much I desire that you stop looking for the ranch girl, and decide to be with me. You're everything I need, and you're the only person who actually understands me. You're not only the Hero of Time, you're MY hero" she thought while she looked for an answer

"Thank you Link, you're really nice" she said

"Well then I'll leave you know. I have to go to Lon Lon ranch" he said

"Okay, but don't forget about me! You must visit me very soon!" she said

"Of course! How could I forget about the only person who actually knows who I am" he said

"Well then… goodbye Link" she said as she kissed him in the cheek and ran towards the castle before he could react

"Goodbye…my princess" he whispered

Afterwards, Link began the trip towards Lon Lon ranch. He walked down the dirt road while he debated with himself about the two options he now had: A quite life with the ranch girl, or a hero's life which would surely be rewarded by both a warm welcome by an adventure-loving Malon, and a nice hug (with some sweet kisses) by the princess.

_Hi guys__! I just wanted to thank all the people who have "favorited" my story. It means so much to me to know that someone actually likes it, especially because this is the first thing that I have ever written because I wanted to, and not because it was homework or something like that._

_P.S. I'll try to post new chapters regularly, but I will be kind of busy the next weeks because of the World Cup! I'm kind of a football freak… Go Mexico and Ivory Coast!_

_In case you didn't notice, I reposted this chapter because of a continuity error I made regarding Malon and "fairyboy". __Sorry! Thanks to Blitzkrieg98 for pointing it out _


	7. Chapter 6 – Hero or Cowboy?

**Chapter 6 – Hero or Cowboy?**

Link had planned to leave Castle Town as soon as he could so that he would arrive at Lon Lon ranch by sundown, but instead he decided to rest for a little while. He spend that day playing in the shooting gallery and doing some bombchu bowling, and since he was pretty good at both, he managed to fill up his wallet to the point that not a single rupee could fit in it. However, the one thing that caught his attention was that, unlike the first time he came here, the Happy Mask Shop was closed, and there was only a little parchment nailed on the door that read: "_Gone to find new masks to make more people happy! The owner"_

"That's odd, I thought everything would be the same and only I and Zelda could affect the course of time" he thought

After that little event, Link kept on spending more and more rupees on the different games that the market offered. He didn't notice it was already night until the owner kicked him out of the Treasure Chest Shop when she discovered the Lens of Truth that Link was using to win every time. It was around midnight and Link felt very tired. He wasn't exactly sure of where to go; there weren't any inns in castle town, and Lon Lon ranch was too far away. Then he remembered that the Happy Mask Shop was closed.

"I guess no one would get angry if I spend the night in there" he thought as he walked towards a window on the west side of the Happy Mask Shop

He used his sword to break the lock that kept the window shut, and then he climbed into the shop. It was the same building, but it sure wasn't this empty the first time he visited it. There was absolutely no trace of the masks guy in there; no masks, no furniture and no nothing. However, there was a note on the floor, next to a strange symbol that had been carved on the wooden floor.

_"Majora is calling me… Termina, I must go to Termina. I must destroy the mask… NO! I must protect it! Yes! I must unleash its power and let it free to rule the world…Oh please Farore, forgive me, for I no longer control myself… "_

Link read the note, which had been apparently written in a rush, and wondered if it could have something to do with the sudden disappearance of the owner. He turned the note and noticed the same strange symbol that was carved on the floor, on the backside of the paper; the only difference was that it had a small title beneath it: "Majora" it read. The symbol looked like a face, and for some reason Link couldn't help but look at it in its "eyes". He then realized he had wasted some precious "sleep time" and threw away the note while he looked for a comfortable place to lay his head. Link didn't sleep very well that night, mostly because of the rough, wooden floor, but also because of the voice that haunted his dreams, the same one that had talked to him a few days ago.

"Wake up hero… the time has come; you must face your destiny. Termina is waiting for you, you must save it. Do that and you'll be rewarded with a power beyond any other. A power that makes gods shiver and cry. A power that will make ANYTHING possible. A power that only you can control…" the voice said

"Poor Link, you're so desperate for your love. You want little Malon to love you…but it just C-A-N'-T be. She is too young, too immature. But you don't have to worry about being lonely, you can be with the princess…Yes, you want that don't you? And she wants that too. But you're too much of a coward to accept it! However, that can be easily solved… let me in Link, let me give you the power you need to do what you want… "

"Who's there?" Link shouted as he woke up from his nightmare

"Just a bad dream… I guess I better get going before someone finds me here" he said

When Link got out of his temporary refuge, he noticed it was very early in the morning because the shops had not opened yet. He then started the trip to Lon Lon ranch since he didn't want to waste any more time. He traveled very swiftly this time, although it was not the most pleasing trip, since he spent all of it trying to make some sense to what the voice had said. He eventually arrived at Lon Lon ranch when the sun was still up in the sky, and as he entered through the gate, he instantly heard the soft chanting of Malon, who, as always, was singing Epona's song in the middle of the field. He went straight to her and she greeted him with a big smile.

"Grasshopper!" she said as she hugged him

"Hi Malon" he said while he blushed a little

"Thanks so much for finding my dad! You're great Grasshopper!" she said

"It's okay, it was nothing really" he said

"But I must give you something as a reward for being a true hero! I know! Come with me! I was about to eat something when I saw you, but now we can eat together! And I'll make you whatever you want to eat! She said as she grabbed his hand and ran with him to the house

"Okay…" he said, as he got redder and redder

As they entered the house, they found a totally beaten up Talon lying on the floor.

"Dad! What are you doing on the floor?" said Malon as she let go of Link, and helped Talon to get up

"I was just trying to count my cuccos when I accidentally stepped on one and then all of them attacked me!" he said

"But you don't have any scratches on you" Link said

"Well hello Link! I didn't think I would see you so soon! You must have come for that bottle of milk I promised you" said Talon

"Not really, I just wanted to… see if you had found Malon. I wasn't sure if you two had found each other" Link said

"Well thanks a lot kid. Say, isn't he a true hero Malon?" he said

"Yep, Grasshopper rules!" she said, very enthusiastically

"So, could you help with my cucco problem Link? If it's not too much to ask" Talon said

"No problem" said Link as he started to count all the cuccos

"I'll go prepare the food!" said Malon as she went to the kitchen

Link finished the task after only a few minutes, which left Talon quite impressed.

"Well aren't you full of surprises! You're not only a hero, but also a magnificent cowboy! Say, wouldn't you like to live here at the ranch? You would help us out a lot! And you could even marry Malon!" said Talon

"I…don't… I mean…" said Link who was caught totally by surprise and started to blush.

"Just kidding, just kidding. You two are way too young for those things; but I really meant it when I said that you could help us out a lot if you lived here. Especially because Ingo has become a little lazy and we need a new helper…"

"Well, I don't know, I had never thought about living like a cowboy…" said Link

"Don't worry; you don't have to decide right now. Besides, you would have to ask your parents first" said Talon

"I don't have parents…" Link said

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know" Talon said

"It's okay, I never met them; so it's not like it really hurts or something" he said

"Well then you should take my offer! A kid like you shouldn't be out on its own" he said

"I'll think about it" Link said

"The food is ready!" shouted Malon, and both Talon and Link ran to the kitchen

The three had a nice meal while Talon told them how he had passed out when he saw a flock of cuccos flying towards him with their sharp beaks ready to strike, and how they must have thought he was dead, which was the reason why they didn't massacred him. This made the kids laugh until they bellies hurt, and they weren't able to eat anything more. Afterwards, Malon and Link spend all day playing with the horses and feeding the cows. It wasn't until dinner that Link had to take the difficult decision he had been avoiding all day.

"Come on Grasshopper! Its dinner time" she shouted as she ran towards the house

"Great, more food!" thought a very happy Link as he followed Malon

They sat on a table that was in the kitchen, as they waited for Talon to serve them their plates.

"What are we going to eat?" asked Malon

"Wolfos hamburgers!" Talon said

"You hunted a Wolfos?" asked Link, very surprised

"Don't be silly! We bought the meat at the market" said Malon

"Then why is it called like that?" asked Link

"Because daddy always puts the lettuce and the ketchup in a way that makes the meat look like a wolfos!" she said

"There you go kids. Enjoy" said Talon while he served them their hamburgers

"Well, it tastes awesome!" said Link after having the first bite

They spent the next hour chatting and laughing while they enjoyed their delicious hamburgers. Link felt completely relaxed and happy that night; something that was not very common in his life. Everything was perfect until Talon made a question which would affect the life of the hero for many, many years.

"So Link, have you decided to take my offer?" asked Talon

"I…" murmured Link

"What offer?" asked a very curious Malon

"Oh, I offered Link to give him a job in the ranch, and a new home of course…" said Talon

"REALLY? Grasshopper that's AWESOME!" shouted an ecstatic Malon as she ran towards Link, and caught him in a tight hug

And that was everything Link needed to be sure about what was the right choice. Apparently Talon was totally convinced that he would be a great help to the ranch, and Malon was more than excited by the idea of having someone to be there for her, to play with her, and to be her best friend.

"Okay…" he thought

"I take your offer, I'll be the best cowboy ever!" said Link, provoking Malon to be even more happy

"Good choice! Now, I'll show you your room"

That way the life of the hero drastically changed from what it was supposed to be. He will no longer be the hero who saved entire realms and killed infernal monsters. He will no longer have to travel miles and miles through barren lands and life-threatening dungeons. He wouldn't have to face everything alone anymore. Now he would have a home, a place where he could live in peace and not worry about the troubles of the world. A place where there were people who cared about them. He had, for the first time in his life, a family.

However, he knew he wasn't exactly fulfilling his duty of protecting that land of Termina from whatever evil was haunting it. He would have to explain himself to the princess since he was, in a certain way, breaking a promise. He had told her he would go to Termina, and that he just had a little thing to do at Lon Lon ranch, and then he'd start his journey. Obviously, the truth was different. He had indeed thought about going to Termina to look for Navi; and his first plan was to just say goodbye to Malon and then embark on his journey. But he hadn't expected Talon to offer him a life in the ranch, a life with the girl he loved. This changed his plans entirely because, even if he had implied that the first thing in his mind was to go to Termina to look for Navi, the truth was that he was losing the faith in that search. There was something that kept telling him that looking for Navi was a futile action. She was gone and she wasn't going to come back to him anytime soon. Therefore, the first thing in his mind now was to make Malon fall in love with him again. Moreover, he did want to rest for a while, and a new quest wasn't exactly resting. All of that was what convinced him to take Talon's offer and live as a cowboy. Besides, what better way to conquer Malon than to spend all day with her? Right?...


End file.
